Rand Brandes

– Community Engagement Consultant

“Tina Dao set me free! She coached me through a difficult transition period where I went from my retirement in higher ed, to a nonprofit VP position, to a solopreneur enterprise. I am now prepared to start my community engagement consulting business focusing on organizations who want to enhance their interactions with nonprofits. I recommend Tina to anyone who want a coach to help them grow personally and professionally and who they can trust to bounce big ideas off of in order to make big decisions. I never imagined that I would take the journey I did with Tina, but I’m happy I did.

The Liberated Leaders course was strategically organized, beginning with a self-evaluation of competencies and strengths and ending with a revelatory moment of self-understanding after a powerful session of self-reflection. It became clear early on that we shared the same values, and that I could trust her unconditionally. Tina brought her vast store of experiences and knowledge to each session, thus they were always productive. Along the way she helped me prepare for important meetings and crucial conversations with my nonprofit partner, which were essential to my personal and professional growth. Tina helped me see for myself what was unsatisfying about my VP position and what my paths forward might be. Perhaps most importantly, she helped me understand a power dynamic in the organization of which I was unaware and that had not been there when I started the position. Once I realized that, I felt empowered and confident of my decision to step down from my position, which I’d initially found very fulfilling. Tina’s approach to professional coaching is informed by her intellectual curiosity and generosity. With authenticity and integrity she put everything on the table and did not hold anything back.

I don’t know how I would have achieved the clarity and confidence I have now without my work with Tina Dao.”